6 weeks old!

I can't believe that Ryan came into this world 6 weeks ago. Like with Brody, it is weird to think of life without Ryan but at the same time it seems only yesterday that he was born. Here are some pictures I've taken recently.


Ryan has grown a little more than 3 inches since being born and about 3 lbs (if you count the weight he dropped right after being born). I think he has grown so tall that he has more catching up on weight to do to fill out his tall body.

We love our little Ry guy!!

I know my sister Jada will be mad at me that I am sharing pictures of her sewing skills on this blog but I don't care - I have to brag about my talented sister. The beautiful quilt above is made by Jada. It was her first attempt and I think it turned out amazing!

Jada had some help from her mother-in-law and was able to use her embroidery machine to put Ryan's name on the quilt (as seen in the top left of the picture above). Its soft and very big so he can use it for at least the next couple years. Thanks, we love it!!

Our little boy is growing up!

The past couples weeks have been big for our little man Brody. Lots of changes - big and small! Brody is (mostly) taking the changes well. These changes have proved to Jake and I that our toddler is growing up!

Brody got a new brother to start with, we buzzed his head, he got a twin bed and yesterday he started preschool!!

Oh and no picture to prove it but Brody went potty on the toilet for the first time Monday night. We have slowly been doing more to potty train him and I think the timing was right the other night. It will still take a while due to the communication delay but we are off to a pretty good start!

So far no falls off the bed!

Before

After

After almost a year in speech therapy Brody is transitioning from therapy to preschool. As much as Jake and I realize how good preschool is going to be for him we are sad to say goodbye to such wonderful therapists.

Brody didn't want to wear his backpack for us on the first day. Here we are waiting for the bus to come. Of course Brody got a cold the day before so he was grumpy and very tired for his first day of preschool. But we later talked to his teacher and he actually did pretty well.

So far it seems the bus will take some getting used to.

Since Jake and I had some free hours in the morning while Brody was gone we thought we'd just relax and this picture proves it was very much needed (not so much by Ryan but he just gets so comfortable when Daddy holds him he just dozed off)!

P.S. We are very lucky that Brody is able to go to preschool because with the cut backs at DES and DDD the therapy would stop for Brody next month anyway and he would have nothing to help his delays. The preschool is free and its through Mesa Public Schools - we are very blessed and grateful.

Shouldn't be happening but life isn't fair

My little newborn is sick. He has the stomach flu AND an ear infection. That shouldn't happen to a baby and one so young at that! Also as a mother, I rarely like to complain because its a wonderfully job I have to be raising children. Plus I chose this life. But I will take this time to tell of something else that shouldn't be happening - my toddler messing with his poop! Brody likes to have, what I have started calling, "poop parties". It usually happens at nap time and occasionally when he is unsupervised in the playroom or at night when he is suppose to be sleeping. I have called them poop parties because when he is caught in the act Brody smiles and squeals in joy and then you see that he has used his hands to, in a heyday of excitement, spread the poop around the room (usually walls and/or clothes and/or bedding). Unfortunate to other's theories these parties have not started since we have brought Ryan home. No, Jake and I are lucky that our rambunctious little Bro Bro started his poop parties, on a regular basis, a couple weeks before Ryan was born.

With a newborn, these poop parties are very frustrating, inconvenient and, as all would agree, disgusting to deal with. This week has been particularly be horrible to have a toddler who has poop parties and a newborn who is throwing up and having diarrhea round the clock. Yes, such is the life of a mother and yes I am choosing this time to complain.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the TV show of The West Wing for getting me through my tough days and difficult nights. I started at the beginning of the show and now am half-way through the 4th season. The Democratic President Barlet and his staff helped to get my mind off the fact that I was loosing sleep and has helped sustain my sanity. Rob Lowe who plays Sam Seaborn is about to leave the show and that has been very difficult for me to accept because I love him (yes I knew it was coming) other than that it has been great - Thanks

- Barlet for America!!

Ryan is 1 month old!

So our little baby Ryan is still VERY little. But today (which funnily enough is the EXACT day and date he was born) is 1 month old. He is still playing catch up with his weight since he was born so early. He has grown two inches longer, which is great but also means he has to eat more to fill out those extra two inches! Ryan lost a pound and gained almost 2 since he was born. He is slowly staying awake longer. Ryan LOVES to be held. He loves to lay on people's chest and just sink into your body. Personally I think he knows he was born early and misses the womb cause he is curls up and likes to be close to someone and hear their breath and heart beat. Other than crying because he is hungry, Ryan is a very quiet baby and still sleeps a lot. We are all just loving this newborn and relaxed stage he is at.

More evidence of Ryan's freakishly hairy body!

I took this picture and the few following it last night after Ryan's bath

As you can see his hair sticks straight up after a bath

Just precious!

What could have been his birth day!

So today, March 2nd is the actual date I was scheduled to be induced at 5 am at the hospital to have Ryan. Instead he is 2 weeks and 3 days old!! Its funny how much of a comfort it was to have that date scheduled and it was ingrained in my head that that was going to be the day he was born so when I had him so unexpectedly it was more of a shock. Weirdly enough I would have loved to have Brody this early when I was pregnant with him but with Ryan I felt like, since I had another child AND there were so many birthdays already, I really wanted him born on time - in March. So then what happened was, not only was he born in February but the day after Jake's birthday!! Hey, at least I am not pregnant anymore with all the aches and pains and bathroom breaks every five seconds. Ryan is here and beautiful and I am just so in love my new little one. Every time I feed him I just stare and can't get enough of him!!


Here are some recent pictures of the boys.

If you look closely you can see Ryan's hairy arms!!


This is about as close as my boys have gotten since we brought Ryan home

New shirt for church (he is waiting by the door to leave for church)

Little hands

LOVE this little outfit plus his eyes are open too

Cute little outfit from my Mom that Jake loves